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A major aspect of the allure within the Final Fantasy Universes Beyond collection for *Magic: The Gathering* is the way numerous cards narrate iconic tales. Take for instance the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which provides a snapshot of the protagonist at the beginning of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous Blitzball pro whose signature move is a fancy shot that pushes a defender aside. The gameplay rules mirror this in nuanced ways. This type of storytelling is prevalent across the entire Final Fantasy set, and some are not lighthearted tales. Some serve as poignant callbacks of emotional events fans still mull over decades later.

"Emotional tales are a vital part of the Final Fantasy franchise," explained a lead designer for the collaboration. "We built some overarching principles, but ultimately, it was mostly on a case-by-case basis."

Even though the Zack Fair card may not be a tournament staple, it represents one of the collection's most elegant examples of flavor by way of rules. It masterfully echoes one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial story moments brilliantly, all while leveraging some of the product's core mechanics. And even if it steers clear of spoiling anything, those who know the saga will quickly recognize the meaning embedded in it.

The Mechanics: Story Through Gameplay

At a cost of one white mana (the color of heroes) in this collection, Zack Fair is a base stat line of 0/1 but enters with a +1/+1 token. By paying one colorless mana, you can sacrifice the card to give another ally you control indestructible and transfer all of Zack’s markers, plus an Equipment, onto that chosen creature.

This design portrays a moment FF fans are extremely know well, a moment that has been revisited again and again — in the first *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new versions in *FF7 Remake*. And yet it resonates with equal force here, communicated completely through rules text. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Card

A bit of context, and take this as your *FF7* spoiler alert: Before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a confrontation with Sephiroth. Following years of testing, the friends break free. The entire time, Cloud is delirious, but Zack ensures to take care of his companion. They finally make it the plains outside Midgar before Zack is killed by troops. Left behind, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and adopts the identity of a elite SOLDIER, leading directly into the start of *FF7*.

Playing Out the Moment on the Tabletop

In a game, the card mechanics essentially let you recreate this entire sequence. The Buster Sword appears as a powerful piece of gear in the set that costs three mana and provides the wielding creature +3/+2. Thus, with an investment of six mana, you can turn Zack into a formidable 4/6 while the Buster Sword wielded.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has deliberate combo potential with the Buster Sword, letting you to look through your library for an artifact card. Together, these pieces function as follows: You cast Zack, and he gains the +1/+1 counter. Then you cast Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you cast and attach it to Zack.

Due to the manner Zack’s key mechanic is worded, you can potentially use it when blocking, meaning you can “block” an attack and activate it to negate the attack completely. So you can do this at a key moment, passing the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He is transformed into a strong 6/4 that, whenever he does damage a player, lets you pull extra cards and cast two spells without paying their mana cost. This is precisely the kind of experience alluded to when talking about “emotional resonance” — not revealing the scene, but letting the mechanics evoke the memory.

Extending Past the Obvious Combo

However, the thematic here is oh-so-delicious, and it reaches beyond just Zack and Cloud. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity appears in the collection as a creature that, at the start of combat, puts a number of +1/+1 counters on a target creature, which additionally gains the type of a Mutant. This sort of hints that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER treatment he underwent, which included modification with Jenova cells. It's a subtle nod, but one that implicitly links the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter ecosystem in the expansion.

Zack’s card avoids showing his death, or Cloud’s trauma, or the stormy location where it all ends. It doesn't have to. *Magic* allows you to relive the passing yourself. You perform the ultimate play. You hand over the sword on. And for a brief second, while playing a trading card game, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most influential game in the saga for many fans.